Crucifyre – Post Vulcanic Black (Review)

This is the third album from Swedish black/death/thrash metallers Crucifyre.

The follow up to 2014’s hugely enjoyable Black Magic Fire, the band have now returned with a new offering to the metal gods.

This is a bit of a different Crucifyre than the one we encountered previously, with almost a completely new lineup. However, Post Vulcanic Black operates more or less in the same landscape that Black Magic Fire did; stylistically this is an album that takes its old-school metal influences and combines them into something unmistakably Crucifyre.

Black, death, thrash, doom, and heavy metal elements abound, all bent to the will of their masters. Old-school and full of dark metallic confidence, this is an ode to the metal of the 80s, brought forth from ancient slumber and delivered with passion and enthusiasm in the present day.

Out of the band’s various influences, I’d say that there’s probably a bit less death metal and a bit more thrash metal overall on Post Vulcanic Black. The band create a diverse metal medley across the album, from aggressive ragers to atmospheric dirges, and pretty much everything in between. If it’s metal of some description, it’s probably represented here somewhere. Very few stones are left unturned throughout the playing time, with even some 70s progressive rock influences appearing here and there.

Regardless of what the band are actually playing though, the songs on this latest release of theirs are infectious and catchy, with many barbed hooks that get stuck in the listener’s head surprisingly easily.

Post Vulcanic Black is an energetic and authentic display of old-school metal prowess, and an extremely enjoyable one at that.